Naidu for new rules to ensure smooth Session

A day after the complete washout of Parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu strongly feels that time has come to revisit the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in legislatures to enable their effective functioning. He told the media in Bengaluru on Saturday that he feels strongly about it for a smooth functioning of Parliament.

“The intention is not to discipline MPs and MlAs but to allow the aspirations of the people to be properly addressed. There is a need for a wider public debate if persistent violators of the dignity and decorum of legislatures should be properly punished or not,” he said.“At an appropriate time, I intend to talk to all the parties to explore as to how best we can ensure effective functioning of our legislatures so that democracy shall remain relevant,” Naidu said. Stressing on the GST Bill, he said its introduction was the need of the hour.

Highlighting that there was no place for acrimony and bitterness in Parliament and other legislatures, Naidu said all parties had a collective responsibility of ensuring effective functioning of Parliament. “I appeal to all parties, particularly the Congress and the left parties supporting it, to give primacy to the task of collectively addressing the challenges before the country,” he added. 

“These parties should realise that pushing the country backward while in power and preventing forward momentum while in Opposition negates the India growth story and hurts the people badly,” he said.Meanwhile the Government is now striking a peacemaking effort with Congress and the left parties on the GST Bill. Naidu appealed to Opposition parties to help to take GST legislation forward. He said that “the need of the hour is to bury the immediate past for a smooth sailing of the GST bill”.

The firm stand taken by the Congress and left parties has made the Government to strike conciliatory note for the smooth passing of the GST Bill.

He said there were some suggestions to reconvene Parliament at the earliest and take forward the GST Bill. “It is necessary to bring into force the GST by April next year. Any delay would only hurt our national interests.”

“I sincerely appeal to all concerned not to allow a repeat of the Monsoon Session. let us not let the people down,” he said, as he struck a note of conciliation to give a push to one of the Government’s big bang reforms. To a question if a special session would be called, he said, “We have not taken any decision. We will talk to all parties.”

“Introduction of the GST Bill cannot be delayed further. I hope that all concerned would rise to the occasion and show the way forward,” the Minister said. On the washout of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Naidu said the disruption was nothing but a “subversion” of people’s mandate and the Congress’ conduct was “unreasonable, undemocratic and unacceptable.”

“What is at stake is not the future of Narendra Modi. What is at stake is the future of our country and its people. The Congress has done a disservice to the country and even to itself by disrupting Parliament,” he said.